Rwanda: Cement producer Cimerwa will invest about US$190m in a new clinker plant, aiming to reduce its dependence on imports and save an estimated US$2.88bn in foreign exchange over the next 25 years. CEO Mangesh Kumar Verma said the plant, which will be built in Musanze, is expected to begin operations within two years with a capacity of 0.72Mt/yr of clinker. The plant will meet the company’s local demand of 0.54Mt/yr, with the surplus exported. Verma said that if limestone reserves prove larger than expected, there is provision to add another line. The investment follows rising costs from importing clinker, which currently amount to around 0.36Mt/yr at a cost of US$3.7m–4.0m. Verma added that clinker makes up about 70% of cement production costs, rising to 95% when imported.
Cimerwa’s unaudited financial results for the nine months ending 30 June 2025 showed that revenues were up by 50% year-on-year to US$75m, driven largely by its July 2024 acquisition of Prime Cement. However, profit before tax dropped by 23% to US$7.7m, reportedly due to input cost increases and continued depreciation of the Rwandan Franc. The company said that the Musanze clinker plant will stabilise production costs and position Rwanda as a net exporter, supporting large-scale infrastructure projects such as the New International Airport in Bugesera.
